Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether delivery robots operating on pavements comply with the provisions of the Highways Act 1980.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when Parliamentary time allows. This regulation will also be designed to ensure any negative impacts to blind and partially sighted people are mitigated.
The Micromobility Team in the Department for Transport is responsible for pavement robots, and there are currently no staff dedicated to working solely on delivery robot policy, with work on this policy area being conducted as business-as-usual activity by officials with wider responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of delivery robots on blind and partially sighted pedestrians.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when Parliamentary time allows. This regulation will also be designed to ensure any negative impacts to blind and partially sighted people are mitigated.
The Micromobility Team in the Department for Transport is responsible for pavement robots, and there are currently no staff dedicated to working solely on delivery robot policy, with work on this policy area being conducted as business-as-usual activity by officials with wider responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether delivery robots constitute (1) carriages, or (2) mechanically propelled vehicles, for the purposes of existing highways legislation.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when Parliamentary time allows. This regulation will also be designed to ensure any negative impacts to blind and partially sighted people are mitigated.
The Micromobility Team in the Department for Transport is responsible for pavement robots, and there are currently no staff dedicated to working solely on delivery robot policy, with work on this policy area being conducted as business-as-usual activity by officials with wider responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which local authorities can restrict or prohibit the use of delivery robots on pavements.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when Parliamentary time allows. This regulation will also be designed to ensure any negative impacts to blind and partially sighted people are mitigated.
The Micromobility Team in the Department for Transport is responsible for pavement robots, and there are currently no staff dedicated to working solely on delivery robot policy, with work on this policy area being conducted as business-as-usual activity by officials with wider responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many members of staff in the Department for Transport are working on policy relating to delivery robots.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises the current legal framework does not provide the certainty businesses need to invest, which is why we have committed to introduce a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle category to regulate micromobility vehicles, including pavement robots, when Parliamentary time allows. This regulation will also be designed to ensure any negative impacts to blind and partially sighted people are mitigated.
The Micromobility Team in the Department for Transport is responsible for pavement robots, and there are currently no staff dedicated to working solely on delivery robot policy, with work on this policy area being conducted as business-as-usual activity by officials with wider responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish any further reports, previously commissioned by HS2 Ltd, on the risk of settlement of areas around Crewe.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This report https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-2b-select-committee-crewe-to-manchester-understanding-the-ground-risk-across-the-cheshire-plain was commissioned and published as a comprehensive report into the ground risk north of Crewe across the Cheshire plain.
The Government does not expect to publish any further information.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government who will be the promoter of the Crewe to Manchester section of High Speed Rail; and whether they intend to let contracts on a cost-plus basis in a similar way to those let for Phase 1.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
HS2 Ltd continue to support the promotion of the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill which will be adapted to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail. No decisions have been taken on the long-term delivery strategy on contracting choices for the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme at this stage.
Our long-term ambition is to improve capacity and connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester with a new rail line. This will not be a reinstatement of HS2 and no decisions have been taken on the exact specification, route or the approach to implementing or contracting the project.
We will learn lessons from the implementation of HS2 to take the time necessary to undertake the development work to underpin these decisions.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the mayors of Liverpool, Manchester and areas east of the Pennines have approved the route of High Speed Rail Phase 2b.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The government is taking forward the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill to deliver the Northern Powerhouse Rail route into Manchester via Manchester Airport. We have not reversed the previous government’s decision to cancel HS2 Phase 2 and will adapt the bill to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The Government engaged closely with Mayors across the North of England during the development of the Northern Growth Strategy. Compact agreements with each Mayoral Combined Authority show the support for the Programme and the approach and are available online within the Rail Network Correspondence section of the Government's website.
We will continue to work in close collaboration with Mayors and partners across the North throughout the development and delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the proposal published by Chris Gibb, HS2 – Getting the job done… a new approach in May 2024, and (1) whether any such assessment compared capacity and journey times with HS2 Limited’s latest plans, (2) whether it outlined how they will consider forecasted demand in the 2040s, and (3) what assumptions they made on pricing and compulsory reservation strategy and their role in managing unconstrained demand.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Aspects of the proposal have been analysed for their technical feasibility and how they would support passengers on HS2 in the long term. The Department is working with industry on potential interventions to further improve journeys for Northwest passengers when high-speed services operate on the West Coast Mainline.
In addition, the Northern Growth Strategy announcement of January 2026 set out the Government’s intention to ultimately deliver a full North-South new line between Birmingham and Manchester. This will enable the Government to safeguard future growth for the long term by ensuring the West Coast Main Line corridor offers sufficient capacity and good connectivity.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the exact High Speed Rail Phase 2b Crewe to Manchester route, and connections to other rail projects in the area.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The route of the original Phase 2b scheme can be found in the Online Government Collection titled: HS2 Phase 2b: Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds.
The government will adapt the High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill to deliver only the section of route necessary for Northern Powerhouse Rail. Following the Instruction Motion passed in the House of Commons in May 2024, the Bill will be truncated at a point in the vicinity of the Parish of Millington and Rostherne. The Government will set out further details when the Hybrid Bill Select Committee recommences.